I can't contain this much longer
by MissyEvil
Summary: Based on the promo and sneak peek from 2x23. Regina wants to save Storybrooke and hereby sacrifycing herself, but Henry doesn't want to lose her too. Can't Emma help with her magic? Well she can try right? wow I suck at summaries. SPOILERS. ONE-SHOT.


**hey! so after that episode of last night I was in a desperate need for some swan queen fanfiction and after the promo and sneak peek for the next episode I just had to write this. **

**contains spoilers from the sneak peek and promo! **

**hope you enjoy, **

**xx**

* * *

Emma is standing the middle of her apartment when Henry, her mother, her father and to her surprise, Archie burst through the front door.

"Where were you?" Snow says and she pulls her daughter in for a tight hug.

"We were so worried, you know, after Neal." The older woman said as she refused to let go of her daughter. Charming pulled in for the hug too and Henry managed to squeeze himself in between them. Archie just stood beside them, feeling slightly awkward but he understood that they needed some family time.

"Wow! Guys I'm fine." Emma said, trying to sound cheerful but the look on her father's face showed that he wasn't buying it.

Charming kissed her forehead and looked at his daughters eyes. They seemed so exhausted. Emma hadn't been sleeping very well after Neal's death and only this morning were they confronted with what could be the total destruction of Storybrooke. It must be really hard on his daughter, but knowing Emma he also knew that she wouldn't accept much help and she certainly wouldn't admit how hard it was on her.

Snow looked around the apartment, only now noticing the absence of another brunette, one that was strictly told to stay in bed till she had all her power back and she also remembered telling her daughter to make sure that Regina did exactly that. Also, Emma had her coat on. Something was definitely happening. Before she could ask though, Henry opened his mouth.

"Where's my mom?"

"_Where are you going? You were told to stay here till you have your powers back." Emma said as she ate some cereal at the kitchen counter and watched as Regina stood up from the bed and walked towards the door. _

"_That's none of your business, dear. Besides, I am fine." She hissed. Right at that moment though, an awful pain shot to her head and she had to grab the stairs to steady herself with one hand, while the other clutched her forehead. _

"_Doesn't seem like it." Emma stated as she rose from her bar stool and walked towards the older woman, still holding the bowl with cereal in her left hand. _

"_Like I said, it's none of your business." Regina said once again. It was followed by a sigh of frustration and a shake of her head which caused her to gasp and close her eyes momentarily, hoping to sooth the pain. Emma rolled her eyes but instead of answering right away she ate some more cereal, not so much because she was hungry but she wanted to give Regina some time. _

"_No, actually," Emma said while she was still eating, she didn't have to look at Regina to know she was rolling her eyes, "It is. You are my business because I promised my parents and Henry." After she spoke she choked on her food and had to cough hard to get the cereal from blocking her airway. _

"_Haven't I always told you to eat with your mouth shut?" Regina said as she turned, full sass and a smirk back on her face. The blonde felt actually relieved, Regina was back. She couldn't help but smile a little which the brunette apparently noticed because an eyebrow was raised._

_The two were silent until Regina spoke again. "You have to let me go now." _

"_Why? What are you going to do? Kidnap Henry and get the hell out of here as fast as possible?" Emma said harshly. The second the words left her mouth she knew that she shouldn't have said it. Where did that even come from? She looked at Regina and saw that the smirk had left her face, the woman was clearly trying to act like it didn't hurt her but the look on her face told Emma otherwise._

"_No, I'm going to save all of you by stopping that trigger." Regina said, completely ignoring Emma's harsh comment. _

"_Can you?" Emma said, sounding hopeful. _

_Regina shook her head. "I don't think so, I can only slow it down and it should buy you enough time to flee." _

_Emma felt just a tiny bit of the weight leave her shoulders. They were all going to be okay, they were getting a way out, an escape. But then she realized something. _

"_But what about you? If you have to slow the trigger down you can't come with us. You'll die. Can't I help?" Emma said, suddenly sounding upset and desperate, hereby surprising herself again. What was going on with her? About a minute ago she had just said the worst thing she had ever said to the woman, and now she was concerned about her well-being._

_Regina however, was glad with the change in Emma's behavior right now. It was like Emma Charming had disappeared and she had her, well not 'her'... Emma Swan back. _

_She stepped closer to the blonde and invaded her personal space. She could hear the hitch in the blonde's breathing. "Isn't that what you wanted all along? To get rid of the 'evil' queen?" _

_Regina left the apartment immediately after that, not giving the blonde the opportunity to say something in return. _

"Uhh.. she's getting us some food." Emma said to her son. In the corner of her eye she could she her mother's head tilt sideways and the womans eyes narrowed. Her mother was onto her, she just had to hope that her son bought the lie.

"You're lying. Again. You're not the only with those superpowers, Emma." Henry said as he stepped back from his birth mother's arms.

Emma looked up at her parents and Archie, who was still standing a bit in the back, clearly not sure what to do or say. Snow tilted her head once more and gave her a look that said – just tell us now. Charming clearly had no idea something was going on, as far as he was concerned Regina was actually getting them some food.

She carefully placed her hand on her son's shoulder and guided him to the couch. He kept looking at her as he sat down.

"Henry your mom is going to slow down the trigger to give us some time to get out of Storybrooke and take you to a save place." Emma said to her son, who took some time to let it sink in before he also made the connection, right at the same time as Snow did.

"She's going to kill herself to save us." Snow and Henry said at the same time and Emma could only nod sadly. Finally Archie joined the conversation, reminding most of the family by the fact that he was still there.

"Can't we do anything to save her too? Help her in any way?" The cricket said and once again Emma shook her head.

"I don't want her to die. She's my mom." Henry said as he wrapped his little body around his other mother. "You have magic too Emma, you have to help her." He breathed into her coat, while fighting his tears. He had been so relieved to see his mother again this morning and he had even hugged her. He was surprised by how safe it had felt to be in his mother's arms again and he knew she wasn't evil, he knew that she was good and he had to give her another chance. And now this was happening and he was about to lose his mother again, but this time for good.

Emma looked up at Snow and Charming. A questioning look fell over her face and her parents looked at each other. Without saying a word they made a decision together and Snow looked at her once again. "You should go find her. Maybe you can do something. We'll go make and make an escape plan in the meantime." Her mother said, even though it sounded like she didn't fully support the idea.

Her father looked at her. "But be careful, please."

She nodded and her son let go of her. He seemed hopeful and really relieved but she had to warn him, she still didn't have very much control over her magic and she didn't even know where Regina was.

"Henry I am not promising that I can save her, or help her. You understand that right?" she said on a serious tone.

Henry nodded but it didn't seem like he was actually listening to his mother. "Please just go save my mom, I don't want to lose her too."

Emma knew he was talking about Neal and the aching pain in her heart returned. Saying goodbye to Neal had been terrible and she still felt emotionally unstable, even though it was a week ago. She had told him that she loved him, and she did. But most people will always love the person that first changed their life, shook their world and made them feel loved. Their connection was even stronger because of their shared son. But Emma had no interest in getting back together with him. Not that that was still possible now.

She hugged her son one last time before leaving their apartment, she just hoped that she had enough time to find Regina. The woman hadn't really given her a time, she just told Emma that they had to hurry.

* * *

As she walked down the Main street she wondered where the trigger could possibly be. Regina knew which meant it had to be a place that made sense and not just any random place. Where to start this search?

About fifteen minutes later Emma still had no clue of where Regina was. In the meantime the town was warned and people started to secretly make evacuate plans. They couldn't escape yet because else Greg and Tamara would learn about their plans and they would try to stop them. If she was lucky, they would leave soon so they could start getting people safe, that meant into portals. They still had some beans from Regina's office (she had some hidden in a closet) and they had Hook's ship and there was Jefferson's hat. All together they should have enough ways to get everyone out of their safely. Well… everyone but Regina.

She was looking down at her feet and thinking when she bumped into Hook. She shot him an angry look the instant she saw his smirk.

"Hook." She groaned and his smile only grew.

"Emma! Nice to see you again." He winked at her.

"Where's the trigger?" She asked angrily which caused him to chuckle slightly. "Do you really think I'm just going to tell you, and risk saving the life of my enemy. No thank you, I'd rather continue watching him freak out over there, being completely powerless." He pointed to Gold who was down the street with Lacey, he was using his cane to attack a car.

"But.." Hook said as he stepped closer to Emma, way closer than she preferred, "I can offer you a ride with me, Greg and Tamara." She looked disgusted as his hook stroked over her hair. Emma took a step back and opened her mouth, unfortunately for her, Hook was faster.

"Wouldn't want to waste the life of such a pretty lady."

"Okay, that's enough." Emma said, her tone angry and her face slightly flushed.

"Since you're not going to tell me, I'll just have to find it myself." She quickly pushed past the captain, hoping that was the last time she ever had to see him.

* * *

About ten minutes later Emma got frustrated. Now she was just walking around town, as fast as possible but this was completely useless. She would never find Regina this way. She had tried calling the brunette but it went straight to voicemail every time. Where the hell was she?

Suddenly her phone rang. Her hands snatched it from her belt and she activated the screen. Her dad. Emma frowned, she had hoped that it was Regina.

"Emma." She answered as she was panting now and running towards the woods of Storybrooke.

"Hey, listen I think I know where she is." Said her father in the phone. Emma stopped in her tracks and just listened now. She could hear water in the background so he must be at the docks.

"Where?" She asked.

"One of the dwarfs once told me, when I was looking for fairy dust to bring you back home, that only a real dwarf axe can break a diamond." Charming said fast, trying to get the information to his daughter as fast as possible.

"She's in the mines." Emma said as she took a sprint. "Thanks dad." She managed to shout in the phone before ending the call and running towards the place where she had once almost lost her son and now she might be losing her… well.. Regina. This place was no good.

She rushed inside and the first thing she noticed was the weird sound. Like a buzz from something electric. When she came closer she could hear panting and light groans of pain. When she heard those groans she quickly rounded the corner.

There she was, Regina. Her hands were making some sort of magical blue electrifying field of strings. Her head was slightly tilted backwards and she was panting indeed. Her knees were barely keeping her up.

"Regina." She said, not too loud because she didn't want to startle the woman. She knew that the brunette couldn't turn around so instead Emma walked around her and faced her. Regina's face softened for only a second before she caught herself and placed an angry look on her pretty and tired face. Her eyes were red and she had tears on her cheeks, but Emma didn't think she realized that.

"What are you doing Miss Swan," _gosh she had actually missed hearing Regina say that, _"I told you to get the hell out of here as fast as possible."

Emma rolled her eyes, Regina was so stubborn sometimes. But then again, so was she, else she wouldn't be here.

"I know you did but I'm not going to leave you behind like that. I can help, I have magic too. Maybe we're strong enough together." She said as she took a step closer to Regina and her magic.

"Step back!" Regina hissed and Emma was startled by how harsh she sounded. She obeyed and took a step back.

"Emma this is dark magic, nothing like your magic. Your magic was created from true love, it won't work on this diamond. You have to be doing something for the sake of love."

Emma frowned, she hadn't heard about that. But now that she thought of it, she had always used her magic to help the people that she really loved before, protect them multiple times and prove them right and.. wait a minute. When she was proving someone right, that person had been Regina. So what did that have to do with love?

Regina couldn't help but chuckle a little at the confusion on the younger woman's face. She would never say it out loud but the Emma looked adorbable when she was really thinking.

After a minute or two of silence, accept for Regina's groans of pain and the buzz Emma finally spoke again.

"What are we going to do?" She really had no idea. Regina was slowing it down, but she couldn't do that forever, not on her own. So then what? Emma had to find a way to get them both safe. Not just her.

"I don't think I can contain this much longer." She said, more tears coming out of her eyes. Emma was moved by the softness of the former Mayor.

"Everyone sees me as the Evil Queen, including my own son." Regina looked deeped into Emma's green eyes as she spoke, not caring about breaking and showing her emotions.

"Please Emma, let me die as Regina." The older woman looked down at her hands again, missing the broken look and pain that showed on Emma's face. But the blonde didn't want to give up so fast so she couldn't help herself when she stepped behind the mayor and whispered in her ear.

"Just hang in the for a little longer." She said before she placed her hand on the woman's hip.

It was like an electric shock came from her hand and went all the way through Regina's body, making her shiver. But this was different than the shocks Greg and Tamara had given her. This one felt so good.

Suddenly, one of the strings mixed with a pink one and got purple. The diamond seemed to lose a bit of its blackness.

"Wow." Both woman breathed at the same time. Emma still had her hand in the air, momentarily scared of what had happened.

"What was that?" The blonde asked. Regina's knees almost gave in again but she managed to keep herself up.

"That was your magic, dear. I think it's working." Regina said, managing a weak smile and looking surprised.

Emma's mouth dropped open. "But .. I .. I thought…. love." She stammered.

Regina tried to nod but her whole body started to shake now from the muscle tension. "Just do it again, please. Hold me."

Emma wrapped her arms carefully around the body in front of her and pressed up against her as much as possible. Immediately she felt the electric energy again and the strings turned purple. The color faded even more. "It's working!" She screamed and now their whole body's were flushed against each other.

Regina just moaned which caused Emma to turn her neck and look at Regina's face. The woman had a painfull look on her face.

"Are you okay?" she asked and it took a while before Regina snapped out of it.

"Yeah. It's just that.. this kind of magic.. your magic.. it affects people in… certain ways. You can't stop it." She was still panting and she looked pretty flushed. Emma smiled.

"Are you in pain?" Emma asked.

"It's weird, it's like my dark magic combined with yours full of love, it hurts and it makes me .. want things."

Emma's eyes widened while Regina groaned once more. "You want me?" She said, slighly teasing.

Regina rolled her eyes even though she wasn't sure Emma could see it. "It's nothing personal dear, it's just the magic."

"Right.. nothing to do with me." Emma said as she let her arms stroke the woman in front of her, earning some more sounds from the woman.

"Stop it."Regina said seriously.

"I can't, it's not my fault." Emma said, still teasing.

"Kiss me." The brunette suddenly said, making Emma tense behind her.

"Excuse me?" She asked.

"Kiss me." Regina repeated again, which was followed by a moan. "It will stop this."

"Are you sure?" Emma asked, although she was already turning Regina's head and turning her own body slightly.

"Yes. I've had this before, remember?" The former Mayor said before she roughly grabbed Emma's face and pressed their lips against each other. Even more energy escaped between their lips and Regina could feel it going to her fingertips again but after a minute or two of lips moving against each other it finally stopped and she broke the kiss, making sure to keep touching Emma though.

They both looked at the diamond and were surprised when the magic was no longer purple, but Red. Regina, who was still amazed by the feeling of that kiss, look at it in shock and her jaw almost hit the floor. Surely that couldn't be true.

"Why is it red? What does that mean?" Emma asked when she took in the stunned expression on the brunette's face. Her red lipstick was all on her cheeks and Emma had to stop herself from laughing a bit.

"It means that you're my true love." Regina said slowly.

To Regina's surprise, the sheriff's face lit up and the biggest smile appeared on her face. "I am?" she asked, seeming truly happy.

Regina couldn't help but beam back at her. "I guess you are."

"I thought you said it couldn't be destroyed, only slowed down." Emma said as she kept her arms still around Regina who had now turned in her arms so that they were facing each other. They didn't have to stand like this anymore but Emma just couldn't let go.

"Well true love has always been a struggle and a fight for me, but it's also always been an important thing in my life. My mother always told me that true love is weakness and I believed that, so I didn't think that anything could stop this thing, not even true love. She made me believe that it's something that lives only in your mind, that it's not real. But I think I was wrong."" She smiled again and Emma decided she wanted to see that smile more often.

"Love is strenght." Emma finished for the brunette and she couldn't help but blush a little. "So what now? Storybrooke is safe and everything goes back to normal?"

Regina clearly knew what she was trying to ask. What about them?

"Well I'd like to kiss you more often, but besides that.. yeah I guess." She said as she stared right into Emma's green ones.

The blonde leaned in again and let their lips touch once again. This time Emma let Regina deepen the kiss. They only broke apart when the need for air was too big.

"We should probably go tell everyone that they can return to their houses." Emma said.

Regina nodded. "Yeah.. let's go." She took Emma's hand and interwined their fingers before they made their way out of the mines.

Suddenly the mines weren't such a bad place to be anymore.

* * *

**what did you think? **


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